Information Session Explores Budget
At its April 5 meeting, Senate received for information the Office of Open Learning's annual report, appointments to graduate faculty, academic misconduct statistics and Senate's meeting schedule for the 2005/06 academic year. Senate also approved two motions — to renew the India semester for another five years and to amend a paragraph about academic consideration in the undergraduate calendar.
The Senate meeting began with an informal information session, open to members of the University community, to discuss U of G's 2005/06 Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities budget. The Senate Executive Committee had approved the session in response to a number of requests for opportunities for members of the University community to explore issues related to the budget.
The session was chaired by committee chair Prof. Al Sullivan, Plant Agriculture.
President Alastair Summerlee outlined this year's budgetary challenges, including the reasons for an expected budget shortfall of about $11 million and proposals for containing costs, increasing revenues and reducing operating expenses. He stressed the need to present a preliminary budget to Board of Governors although the provincial government's own budget plans remain uncertain. He also emphasized that the provost and deans are undertaking an integrated planning process to guide strategic decision-making across campus (a discussion document can be found on the president's website).
During a question-and-answer period, guests and Senate members discussed aspects of the preliminary budget, with information and comments from members of the University's senior administration, including John Miles, assistant vice-president (finance).
